This invention relates generally to vitamin additives for milk products, more specifically to an improved Vitamin A and D mixture having a specific gravity greater than 1.0 that can be added to a milk product at any stage of preparation.
Generally, commercial dairies fortify milk products with vitamins A and D. For example, prior to packaging the dairy adds vitamin D.sub.3 to whole milk and vitamins A and D.sub.3 to low fat and skim milk. Currently whole milk is fortified with 400 international units (IU) of vitamin D.sub.3 per quart of whole milk. Whole milk does not require the addition of vitamin A since natural Vitamin A palmitate is present in whole milk at levels of approximately 1400 I.U. to 1600 I.U. per quart.
Low fat milk, however, has lower levels of naturally occurring vitamin A. Skim milk has no measurable amounts of natural vitamin A since the natural vitamin A is found in the milkfat phase of whole milk. Therefore, low-fat milk and skim milk are fortified to levels of approximately 2000 I.U. of Vitamin A and 400 I.U. of Vitamin D.sub.3 per quart.
There are two general methods known to the art for adding Vitamins A and D.sub.3 to milk products. The first method requires the injection of a water soluble emulsion into the milk, while the second method requires injection of an oil soluble vitamin preparation into the milk. Both of these prior art methods have drawbacks which cause extra expense and processing difficulties for the user. Each of these prior art processes will be explained hereinafter.